Valve-controlling means



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M. MERRWT VALVE CONTROLLI NG MEANS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1924 A-/xm M? If/z @s f Patented lluly '7, 1925.;

MALCOLM MERRITT, :FORT WAYN, INDIANA, .ASSIGNOR T THE WESTERN GAS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OIF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA A CORPORATION OF l INDIANA vALvn-coNTRoLLING MEANS.

i Application mea December s, 1924. serial No. 754,479.

To all whom t may ofmcem:

. Be it known that I, MALCOLM MERRITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort llvayne, in the countyof Allen and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Valve-Controlling Means, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to valves for controlling the flow of gas into the tar batter, alternately from the superheater and from the base of the generator, in apparatus for making carburetted water gas. More specifically, the invention relates to such valves as are motor operated, and to means for locking same against failure .of the motor or against undue lowering of the pressure of the operating tluid of the motors.

Carburetted water gas apparatus consist of two general types, each employing the blast, the up run and the down run cycle of operations. Inone type, employing a hoot valve for reversing the flow, bothjthe up run and the down run gases are usually passed through a single pipe or conduit from the superheater through a suitable inlet opening into the tar batterl In the other type, such pipe or conduit conveys only the up run gases, while the back run or down run gases are taken into the tar batter by a second pipe or conduit. This second type of gas apparatus requires that these pipes or conduits be alternately opened and closedv by means of suitable valves located outside and adjacent to the tar batter or within the tar batter.` art as flapper valves, and are preferably mounted upon a lever of the walking beam type to alternately open and close the two inlets into the tar batter.

These lapper valves are usually operated by water or other suitable fluid under pressure acting through hydraulic cylinders or other suitable motors. It is desirable that the pressure upon the water or .other motive uid used, shall be. maintained constant, since disastrous'results would follow if the pressure should fail, or inthe event that ,the pressure become so lowered as to allow a closed flapper valve to open before its predetermined time for being opened; as for 'and close the inlets' Such valves are known in the example, to be openedwhen air is on the inlet side of .the valve.

The principal object of this invention therefore is toprovide a means for locking the liapper valve operating mechanism at the endof its proper movement. That is to say, the broad object of the invention, irrespective of specific means for accomplishing the same, is to provide a means whei'eby the flapper valves which alternately open to the tar batter, shall be positively locked ment of the valve actuating means, and shall remain locked until said actuating -means is normally reversed or is reversed Aby an actuating fluid pressure equal to the pressure against wliichthe closed valve is holding: Whatever form of valve actuating mechanism may be employed, it is essential 'that when one member ot'l the flapper valve is closed against the pressure of the inflowing gas, it Y'shall be locked in until the normal time arrives for reversing the lappei valves; and my invention consists bioadly in means for so locking said valves, and also in the devices and combination of devices herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated my'broad invention as applied to one form of flapper valve actuating mechanism, but desire it to be understood as not being confined to the specific form so chosen for purposes of illustration.

In said drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of awater gas set, including the superheater, tar batter and connec-` that position tions.

f FigjQ is a vertical, sectional view, enlarged, of the tar batter, the lapper valves and operating connections being in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the valve operating means, in a different position `from that shown in Fig. 2.

In that form of the. invention embodied in the specific form of valve operating mechanism which I have chosen to illustrate in said Figs. l, 2 and 3, A represents the superheater of a water gas set, B the tar batter, C the conduit or pipe connection which carries the up run gases from the superheater in to the tar batter, D the conat the end of each moveduit or pipe connection which takes the down run gases from the bottom/ot the generator (not shown), into a second inlet in the tar batter, and E the exit pipe which carries both gases from the tar batter. Said conduits must' be alternately yopened and closed b y valves located either within or outside of the tar batter'. In said Fie/s. l, 2 and 3, the fiapper valves are located inside the tar batter B, and their operating means partially within and partially outside ot' the tar batter. f

Said tar batter is provided interiorly with the usual apron 1, which depends from the top, downwardly, to below the normal liquid level. Below the top and within the apron 1 are valve seats 2 and 3, the former at the lower end ot the extension 11 ot the connection C and the latter at the lower end ot the extension 5 of the connection D. The tlapper valves consist ol a pair of discs 6 and'7, adapted to contact with valve seats 2 and3, respectively, to close and open the conduits C and D, alternately, said valves 6 and 7 being pivotally mounted at 8 and 9, respectively, to a lever 10 ot the walking beam type. The valves 6 and 7 are held in proper juxtaposition by a rod 11 which is connected to the arms 12 and 13 on the valves 6 and 7 respectively.

The lever or walking beam 10 is fulcrumed at lfl to a lixed supporting arm 15. One end of the lever 10 is pivotally connected at 1G with a connecting rod 17, which latter extends upwardly between the apron l and the wall oi the tar batter and through a stultlng box 18 in the top wall ot' the latter.

To the top of the tar batter is secured a frame 19 carrying guide rollers 20 and also a suitable bearing for a shaft 21.

A. motor 22, preferably an hydraulically operated piston cylinder, is provided with a piston rod 23 to the end ot which is pivotally secured a rack bar 24;. The rack bar rests upon and reciprocates in a horizontal plane over the guide rollers 20. Upon the shaft 21 is mounted a disc gear 25, the teeth of which are in mesh with the teeth of the rack bar 2&1-, whereby the disc gear 25 is given one-half of a complete rotation with each reciproeation of the rack bar 24, as the latter is moved in vone and then in the other di.- rection by the motor 22.

A crank 2G is connected b v a crank pin 27 to the gear disc and its lower end is coniiected at 2S above the stuffing box 18, to the upper end of the rod 17. The upper and lower ends ot the. crank 26 are telescopically joined as shown and held in proper operative relation by the coiled spring 29. Shoulders or abutments 3() and 31 are on theA rack bar, one at each end of the row of teeth. Said shoulders are arranged so as to lflapper valves.

and act as stops when the crank arm 26 and link 17 are on dead center or substantially so, to effectively lock the parts against further movement until the gear disc 25 is again actuated, by the reverse movement of the rack 24. f

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that the valves (5 and 7 are locked in their desired positions, alteinately, at the corresponding ends ot the stroke of the motor and that they will remain so locked, even ilz the motor and rack should be disconnected.

It will also be understood that by this ar.V rangement the water gas set is made sate in operation against any possible failure or undue lowering in pressure oi water orother iluid power ior the motor.

This locking is at zomplished by making a dead center for the valve link or connection, and positioning the parts so that the dead center shall occur at the `end ot a cycle of operations, coincidentwith the actual seating of one and then ot' the other ol'l the As shown this dead center occurs at a point removed Yfrom the valve and is caused by therod 17 and the crank 2G being substantially in line, but l have in mind that the aligned, movable parts may be located immediately below the valves (i and 7. or in various positions.

lVhen the valve 7, torcxample,is mechanically closed, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the parts 17 and 2G are on dead center, it `will he clear that said valve cannot be opened in the event that the pressure in the cylinder 22 becomes lowered or ifails entirely, or in the event that undue pressure should come.

upon the valve 7 from the inlet conduit Il.'

ll'heu pressure in the cylinder 22 again becomes effective, i. e., sullitfiently high to iorce the valve 6 closed against incomingpressure through. the conduit C, the rack 25J- will reverse and travel in the cpposite direction until its stroke is completed-,or its stop 31 contacts with gear disc 25.

any modiiications will occur to engi neers familiar with the construction and operation of water gas sets, all of which I desire to be comprehended within the scope of my invention, provided they include the forming of a lock for one ot the lapper valves, by parts which come into the dead center position at the end of each stroke oic the means employed to actuate said valves.

l claim as my invention:

1. A mechanism for controlling valves for tar batters` comprising inlets and valves therefor, a pressure operated cylinder toi' actuating the valves to alternately close said inlets and means located between said valves and cylinder for maintaining' a closed valve in closed position against failure of the pressure in the cylinder.

Contact with the teeth of the gear disc 25 2. Mechanism for controlling dapper 13" Valves for inlets to a tar batter, comprisand the valves,

ing a plurality of inlets, tlapper valves for closlng the inlets, a pressure cylinder, co-

operative connections between the cylinder and means for bringing said connections to a dead center position, thereby locking the closed valve against improper openig.

3, echanism for controlling fiappcr valves,- comprising valved inlets, a motor, cooperative connections, including a link and a crank, `between the motor and the valves, and means for bringing the link and the crank into dead center alignment when the motor has caused the seating of one of the valves.

t.A Means for controlling valves for a tar batter, comprising a plurality of inlets thereto, flapper valves for closing said inlets, and actuating mechanism operatively connected to said valves for alternately closing one of said inlets, said mechanism including av rack, a gear'` and abutment stops at each end of the rack. v

5. Valve controlling mechanism, comprising' av roclring'lever, a pair/of valve closers mounted'thereon', adapted, by the movement member, a mot-0r for actuating said rack of the lever, to be alternately seated on their respective valve seats, a reciprocating rack member, a 4motor for actuating said rack member, a gear in -mesh with the rack member, operative connections-between the gear and 'the lever, and means for locking the parts against unseating of the seated valve closer exceptupon the reverse movement of the rack.

6. Valve controlling mechanism, compris ing arocking lever, a pairof valve closers mounted thereon, adapted, by the movement of the lever, to be alternately seated on their respective valve seats, a reciprocating rack member, a gear in mesh with the rack member, operative connections between the gear vand thelever, and means lfor locking the and the lever,

respective valve seats, a reciprocating rack member, a motor for., actuating said rack member, a gear in mesh with the rack member, operative connections between the gear and means for locking'the parts against unseating of the 'seated valve closer except upon the reverse movement of the. rack, said locking means including a gear stop on the rack.

8; Valve controlling mechanism,l comprising a rocking lever, a pair ofvalve closers mounted'thereon, adapted, by the movement of the lever, to be alternately seated on their respective valve seats, a reciprocating rack member, a motor for actuating said rack member, a gear in mesh with the rack member, operative connections between the gear and the lever, and means for locking the parts against unseating of the seated valve closer except upon the reverse movement of the rack, said operative connections including a crank on the gear, a link pivotally connected'to the rocking lever and to the crank, and said locking means including a gear stop on the rack cooperating with the lead center position of the crank and the ink.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aliix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this -5th day of C. A. TEILMAN, A. R. DEIMNGER. 

